Starting point: Žetale

• Path length :
  32.3 km
• Time:
  02:00:00
• Difficulty:
  Hard
• Ground:
  Asphalt, Macadam, Forest path

Description of path

The starting point of the route is the Pod lipo bar in Žetale. After turning right at the communal building, ascend about two kilometers to Čermožiše, then immediately begin a sharp descent. You will be descending all the way to Naraplje down a pockmarked road which should be great preparation for the many trials you will face on this route. In Naraplje, take a sharp left turn and you will soon be at the bottom of a six-kilometer ascent to Jelovice. The road gets steeper and steeper as you get closer to the top. But look at the bright side: at least you have a great view of the surrounding area, especially of Ptujska Gora and the Drava plain. At the top, you can relax at the Lončarič tourist farm, visit the church of St. Bolfenk or even play some football - though spending too much energy is not recommended at this point. After your rest (which is definitely recommended), it is time to descend down a macadamized road. Eventually, you should arrive on an asphalt road... but you will not be using it. Just cross it and ascend to Kupčinji Vrh. From it, descend down a gravel road, then turn left. After a short ride along the valey, you should get to Čermožiše. Those of you who love going up extremely steep slopes can take a shortcut to Donačka gora by following the markings for the Haloze mountain road. The rest of you should turn left in the town and head along the valley toward Žetale. If you have decided to give up, you can descend back to Žetale in Podgora, shortening the whole route to 22 kilometers. The rest of you should turn right and continue toward Medgore. Pass through the Donački virgin forest to the highest point of this route - the Rudi house beneath Donačka gora (592m above sea level). After resting at this meeting point for cyclists, mountaineers and many other people who love sports and nature, descend down the asphalt road to the church of St. Donat. Next comes something that should get your adrenaline flowing: a descent through forests and along macadamized roads to Vrh. To return to Žetale, turn left and head down the asphalt-covered Rogatec-Podlehnik road.

Good morning, mountain cyclists. You are currently exploring a rather pristine area, and the people living here are quite close to nature. At the top of Jelovica, you will find an excellent place for some rest - the Lončarič tourist farm. If you do not feel like resting, go ahead and enjoy yourself at the sporting area, and those of you interested in culture may visit the succursal church of St. Bolfenk, built in 1649. There is also a nice view of the Drava and Ptuj plains. The next summit, Donačka gora at 895 meters above sea level, is the highest summit of the entire local cycling network. It is also the only one that deserves to be called a mountain, as it has all the attributes of a real mountain: rocky cliffs, a sharp ridge and a typical shape. From Žetale or Rogatec, it looks like a spire, whereas from the Drava plain it looks like an overturned trough. The road actually goes past the Rudi house, where you can get something to eat or drink, but mountain path goes through the forest to the top. Donačka gora is also interesting from a biologist viewpoint. The beach forest is a protected regional park called the Donački virgin forest. Here, you can find several rare animal and plant species, such as Juvan houseleek (Sempervivum juvanii), which appears to be indigenous to this area. In Kupčinji Vrh, you can see the church of St. Mohor from the 15th century, once a popular destination for pilgrims. On the other side of Donačka mountain stand the smaller churches of St. Donat and St. George. Near the starting (and finishing) point in Žetale you can see the church of St. Michael, first mentioned in 1357, on a nearby hill. The current building was constructed in the 15th century, while the vestry and the bell tower are from the 17th century. The church was renovated in 1995. Below the church is a chapel also dedicated to St. Michael, and there are plenty of other chapels scattered around the area.

Warning
The author of these pages takes no responsibility for the described cycle routes or for the accuracy of the data. We have presented the cycle routes to the best of our ability, but the cyclist and the maintainer of the route are ultimately responsible for the safety of the trip.